Global Research Agenda Translated into Practice New Webinar Series

On December 17, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) held the inaugural webinar in a new series aimed at implementing the global research agenda on knowledge translation and evidence-informed policy-making in practice. The event gathered 120 participants from 38 countries, including researchers, policy-makers, funders, and knowledge brokers. The session focused on how the research agenda can facilitate the alignment of priorities, enhance capacity, and improve the application of evidence in decision-making.

Moderated by Ahmed Mandil and facilitated by Seilin Uhm, the webinar began with an overview of the agenda provided by WHO's Bastien Kolt, who emphasized its 19 priority research areas concerning interventions, barriers and facilitators, as well as methods and standards. Annette Boaz discussed the importance of enhancing research on knowledge translation to ensure that evidence is consistently utilized to inform policies and programs.

A panel of speakers – Fréjus Thoto, Zhaleh Abdi, and Ben Miyamoto – shared practical examples of how the global research agenda is informing institutional strategies, national priority-setting, and approaches to funding. The event concluded with an overview of the global research agenda dissemination products presented by WHO’s Tarang Sharma, including the forthcoming WHO project report, a preprint manuscript, and a slide deck and infographic designed to support country and organizational use.

As the first installment in the series, the webinar also collected participants' suggestions for future sessions. These inputs will guide upcoming discussions to ensure that the series addresses the needs of the country and facilitates the practical implementation of the research agenda.

The event marked an important step in transitioning from developing the global research agenda to actively implementing it, assisting countries and partners in enhancing the use of evidence and minimizing the duplication of research efforts.